Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-07

MIR. Cardwell has occupied the chair
very frequently and is good presiding
officer. being quick. firm, courteous, and
impartial, and-what IS a great point
not super-sensitive 10 corrections, which
now and then every Speaker will find
can be successfully made from the floor.
Two or three years ago Mr.. Cardwell
was elected by the General Assembly
Judge Of Hanover county and had de-
termined TO accept; but in the mean
time a necessity for an extra session
arose and it was thought possible that
his vote would be needed, and so he
cheerfully declined the iudgeship, re-
NAMED In the House, attended the extra
session, and did valuable service.
Mr.. Cardwell is about six feet two
inches in height and is of heavy build.
He is good. popular speaker, and is a
practical thinker and a sound aud con-
servative legislator He has the capacity,
the diligence. and the determination
which will enable him to make a good
Speaker and the vote of the House will
to-day call him to the chair but lately
occupied by Mr.. Stuart, who was not re-
elected to the body.
House-Sergeant-et-Arms Martin is a
Confederate soldier, and carries an
empty sleeve from a wound received at
Gettysburg. He is of medium build,
has reddish beard, and is about forty
years of age.
First-Doorkeeper Sullivan is about
th;rty-eight. He is also n Confederate
soldier and lost one leg during the war.
BE has served the House before in the
position for which he is nominated
Captain Kindred, Second Doorkeeper,
did his first service during the war in
Texas, where he raised a company and
fought his way through Louisiana to
Richmond. He appears to be about
forty-six years old.
PRESENT.
The members present at the House
caucus were Messrs. q. Allensworth, ID.
W. Anderson, ". A. Anderson, b. W.
Arnold. J. G. Baldwin, A. S. Buford, r.
II. Cardwell, H. i. Carter, II. Catlett,
j, Coleman. r. l.. Counts, j. II. Craw-
ford, II. f. Crismond, John A. Curtis,
W. ID. Dabney, W. p. Dupuy, Edward
Echols, S. J. Edmondson, A. d. z.
Ewell, ]. II. II. Figgat, II. ID. Flood. B.
b. Gordon, ThomasJ. Graves, j. S. Har-
ris, James Hey, r. II. Herbert, Joseph
Hobson, Giles G. Huffman. j. W. Kin
cheloc, w. G. Loving, p. W. Magruder,
J. Z. Mckee, J. ". Morton, s. T. Mus
tain, j. w. OVERLY, ]. A. Pitcher, Fl. r.
Pollard, +. l.. Roberts, j. Roberts, j.
L. Ryan. f. W. Saunders, John NJ.
Silver, II. |. Simpson, R. L. Smith,
Lyon G.. Tyler, r. II. Tyler, L. c.
Watkins, Thomas S. West, S. S. wilkins,
and W. $. Williams.
The Republicans.
The Republican members of the two
branches held a caucus in the City Cir
cuit-Court room.
There were some forty-fve or more
present Mr.. Martin, of Norfolk, was
made chairman and Mr.. McCandlish, OF
Petersburg, acted as secretary. The
conference lasted until about II o'clock,
and the distinguished gentlemen of the
party accepted their lot with
cheerfulness and seemed to have a Jolly
good time Rather than support the
Democraticnominees they nominated the
following gentlemen rs a matter of form,
and upon them the empty honoro Of their
votes will be bestowed.
SENATE.
For President pro tenn, J. j. Melon
aid, of Northumberland Clerk, r. G..
Banks, of Norfolk ; Sergeant-atArms,
John NJ. Ryall, of Richmond city First
Doorkeeper, B. T. Deane, of Rocking
ham Second Doorkeeper, L. 5. Ham
lin, of Petersburg.
HOUSE.
For Speaker, ex-,Iudge Edmund Wad-
dill, Jr, of HenricO Clerk, j. II. Nc
Caull of Roanoke county; Sergeant-at-
Arms, j. w. Southwark, of Henrico
First Doorkceper, Matthew ID. Ross, of
Patrick county; Second Doorkeepcr,
George W. Matthews, of Petersburg.
TIE EIH-HOuston Contested seat i'm
the senate
Unless the action of last nights eau
Gus altered the previous determina-
tion, Senator Berry, of Amherst,
will to-day, when members come
up to he sworn, present the memo
rial of Mr.. Ellis. the Democratic nominee
for the Senate in the Roanoke district in
the recent election, together with the
protest of that gentleman against the
swearing in of Mr. Houston, who holds
the certificate of election as senator
from said district, and move to refer
Houston's case to committee.
Mr.. Ellis first prays that time be ac-
corded him in which to make the contest
for said position, the ten DAYS fixed by
the statute having proved wholly insuili-
cient by reason of the fact that the re-
suit of the election was not declared IN
two of the counties until the l4th of No
vember, which left only four days, and
because on the 10th Mr. Houston pro-
posed that neither should accept the
certificate Of election but have another
election, which proposition being ac-
cepted on the 18th, MIR. Houston then
receded from his proposal, leaving Mr..
Ellis only one day in which to institute
the contest.
The memorial urges that the Senate is.
under the Constitution, the sole judge of
the election, qualification, and returns "
OF its members, and is not bound in any
way by the limitation fixed by the
statute.
The grounds of contest are the re-
ception and counting for Mr.. Houston of
thirty votes cast by negro non-residents,
Of five cast by convicts, of four cast by
infants, and the large number of double
ballots (pastersj found in the ballot
boxes-over one hundrediu number-all
counted for Mr. Houston.
These "pasters or "stickers " are
Democratic ballots with n small slip bear
ing the Lame OF Mr. Houston pasted
over the name of Mr. Ellis.
1t is contended by lawyers that under
our statute these ballots are illegal, be-
sides being a device to deceive the
voter.
The whole vote Of the district rs
counted gave Mr.. Houston eleven ma